Local disc golfers find camaraderie, competition on the course

As the sun rose early on a Sunday in June deep in the pines of Dorey Park, disc golfers playing in the shade of the trees were trying to hit a different type of fairway. Tucked away past the football fields and equestrian facilities lies the eighteen-hole circuit hewn out of small postage-stamp clearings crisscrossing the forest floor.

This was the chosen arena for the disc golfers participating in the Virginia Commonwealth Games.

They arrived early June 21 with their gear, eager to tackle the course, which wound its way through the park along sections of the Virginia Capital Trail.

Jamaal Smith, a local and Norfolk State graduate, was part of a foursome competing in the event, which began with a practical question for an onlooker who planned to tag along: "Do you have bug spray?" Smith asked.

A shake of the head “no” elicited a quick offer from Smith’s group, as the four stood inspecting their discs and taking a few practice tosses.

Unlike their traditional golf counterparts – who play on wide, flat fairways with more obvious hazards – venturing into the undergrowth because a disc whacked off a tree awkwardly is just part of the experience for disc-golfers.

Calls echoed through the woods, signifying the start of the tournament. On cue, the laughter died down into hushed conversation. Each player took a turn tossing an initial throw with a driver (a thinner, more nimble disc crafted for distance) toward a metal basket some 30 or 40 yards away.

Courses are not cleared to provide the discs with unobstructed flight paths, so each player must carefully select a disc and plan how best to navigate each hole under par, crafting throws around the labyrinth of tree trunks and saplings that make up the unforgiving forest floor.

But under this canopy, according to Smith and his playing mates, is where the challenge rests.

"I started playing in my late thirties," Smith said as he walked the course. "I think after a while, the injuries started to add up [from other sports]. A buddy of mine introduced me to it and I fell into it."

Smith, who works for a local third-party food inspection firm, said the sport became a way to stay active while enjoying the outdoors.

"I wish I had started earlier. You see a lot of young guys coming up and killing the scene. I'm even trying to get my son into it," he said with a smile.

A former multi-sport athlete, Smith said he began playing recreationally before entering tournaments about four years ago to continue challenging himself.

"I used to play music and all of that when I started, but after a while I got into the habit of just enjoying nature while I play. If I ever need an escape from life, this is where you can find me," he said.

The group agreed that cost is one of the best aspects of the sport. New players may need only one to three discs to start. With used discs starting as low as $5 and courses often free to play, they said the sport is an appealing way to stay active compared to the cost of country clubs and traditional golf courses.

Tim Eck, a Pennsylvania native and one of the event’s organizers, stopped to share more about the tournament.

"The Tour de Richmond was started over 10 years ago to give players an opportunity to visit Richmond and play the best courses we have to offer. We've been trying our best to make it a regional tournament. We've got folks coming from as far away as North Carolina, even a guy from Norway," he said with a laugh.

"We have different divisions, pros and amateurs, split into about four graduated groups. Players get a rating based on how they play, and we split the divisions among those skill levels. We also have divisions for age groups, your over-40s, over-50s, and so on."

Eck’s path into the sport was one traveled by a number of disc-golfers.

"It started with Ultimate [Frisbee], and friends asked me if I had ever tried disc golf,” he recalled. “I started playing, and it was very fun. A good friend of mine had an injury and couldn't play Ultimate anymore, so we picked this up. I play regular golf too, but this is wonderful. One thing led to another, and it landed me in this community. I love it."

The local disc golf community considers itself a strong one.

"A lot of us play in tournaments all over the state. We run into each other a lot, building little friendships along the way," Smith said as we wound through the course. "I think the people who gravitate to this sport are super easygoing."

Another player tossed his disc toward the basket, which swished with the distinct clinking of chains, signaling another completed hole. After three days of competition, the athletes were not bashful about explaining the toll of constant play: sore elbows, clicking wrists, aching shoulders, and mental strain.

Smith, the eldest of the group, was frequently at or under par.      

"But after this one I'm taking a few days off," he said as he walked toward the next hole, sweat forming on his brow after an hour of play.

None of the group belonged to the same team. They came to compete against themselves, their playing partners, and the difficult course they shared, united by their love of the sport.

"If I even get top 10, I'll be more than happy. You see the pros and just know there's still a whole different level," Smith said.

"It's like this," Eck said, before leaving to check on one of the other tournaments happening that morning. "Yes, there's throwing and putting with the heavier disc because it's a different throw. But it's really the mental game. When things go wrong, can you forget it? Can you adjust or adapt?"